This invention relates to a novel expandable food package, and more particularly, the combination of an expandable food bag, a cooking container for housing the expandable food bag in an unexpanded, stored condition and in an expanded condition having a substantially increased volume, and a sleeve for holding a pair of the containers in face-to-face juxtaposition to form a unitized marketing package, the sleeve also functioning as a support for at least one of the containers in a cooking oven.
In our copending patent application Ser. No. 116911 entitled "EXPANDABLE FOOD PACKAGE CONTAINER", we disclosed a paperboard container for housing an expandable food bag or package in an unexpanded, stored condition and in an expanded condition having a substantially increased volume. Specifically, the food bag can contain corn kernels and cooking oil for forming popcorn, between a pair of round, overlapping, expandable polyethylene sheets, as disclosed in our copending patent application Ser. No. 116,910 entitled "PACKAGED EXPANDABLE FOOD".
The container, which forms no part of the present invention, consisted of a base portion in the shape of a regular polygon, preferably an octagon. Trapezoidal side panels extend outwardly and upwardly from the edges of the base portion and are foldably connected to an integral pop-up cover comprising a plurality of overlapped, separate semi-ovoid shaped top panels foldably connected to each of the side panels. One of the top panels includes a central, circular seal which is releasably attached to one of the remaining top panels to keep the cover closed. When the seal is removed, the semi-ovoid shaped top panels spring to an upright position to aid in housing the expanded food package, which is heated in a microwave oven.
This container is especially useful for heating and expanding food, such as popcorn, in a microwave oven since it is made of paperboard or a paperboard lamination, having no metallic elements or components to interfere with the absorption of the microwave energy and heat.
In our copending application Ser. No. 113757 entitled "CONTAINER UNITIZER SLEEVE AND SUPPORT", we disclosed a sleeve and fastener band used to retain a pair of the aforementioned containers in face-to-face relationship to form an integral package or unit which can be marketed as such. In other words, the sleeve serves as a package unitizer for a pair of identical containers which could be sold as a "twin-pack". Additionally, once the sleeve or band is disassembled from the container package and the container is ready for use in the microwave oven, the sleeve can be used to support the base portion of the container above the plane of the microwave oven walls enabling the base portion to be exposed to the microwave energy. This better distribution of microwave energy about the product increases the volume and quality of the expanded product.
The sleeve comprises a tube formed from an endless paperboard strip which can be separated along a central perforated score line into two pieces, each having a linear edge and an opposed undulating edge. The linear edge is provided by the perforated score line. The undulating edges of the sleeve constitute a series of peaks and valleys and at least one pair of opposed portions thereof are in the shape of a regular polygon complemental in shape to the polygonal shape of the base portion of one of the containers bound by the sleeve. The regular polygonal portions of the sleeve are connected by trapezoidal sections joined along a common base.
When a pair of containers are placed in face-to-face juxtaposition, they can be unitized in a single package by a binder sleeve which is slipped over and around the face-to-face containers. The regular polygonal portions of the sleeve seat on the base portions of the containers, while the trapezoidal portions are complemental in shape to and encompass the side walls of the container.
Once each band is removed and the containers are to be utilized in a microwave oven, the band is split along its central score line and the linear edge of one-half of the tubular sleeve is placed on the plane support surface of the microwave oven. The base portion of a container is then supported upon the undulating edge of the band half disposed above the plane surface of the oven so that the microwave energy can be distributed beneath the container for enhancement of the quality and volume of the cooked product.
This invention relates to the novel combination of the aforementioned components.